What phenomenon can cause turbulence in flight due to mechanical mixing?

Mechanical turbulence occurs when airflow is disrupted due to physical obstructions such as buildings, trees, or terrain. Temperature inversions can significantly contribute to this phenomenon because in such conditions, warmer air traps cooler air near the surface, leading to unstable air layers and increased wind shear. This environment can cause the cooler, denser air to be disturbed as it tries to rise, mixing aggressively with the warmer air above, thereby generating turbulence.

While high humidity can contribute to the visibility of turbulence and storm systems can create significant disturbances in the atmosphere, it is the mechanical mixing caused by temperature inversions that creates localized turbulence due to the interaction of air layers. Constant wind speed alone does not inherently cause turbulence without additional factors contributing to air mixing or disruption.